Gentleness is not the weakness of one who cannot respond, but the strength of one who has learned to govern his own heart.
The angry person believes he is defending justice, yet often loses his peace. The gentle person does not abandon the truth; he abandons the passion that darkens the truth. He knows that one word spoken in peace can heal more than a hundred words spoken in harshness.
Gentleness is born of humility. The one who sees his own weaknesses is not quick to condemn those of others. He answers with patience, listens before speaking, and prays before judging. In this way, his heart becomes a place where both truth and love can dwell together.
Christ did not overcome the world by the power of weapons, but by the power of love. He answered insult with silence, hatred with forgiveness, and death with life. The closer a person draws to Christ, the more Christ’s gentleness becomes visible in that person’s life.
Do not seek to have the last word. Seek instead to have a heart in which Christ can speak. Very often, the greatest victory is not overcoming another person, but refusing to let anger overcome you.
“Learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29)
